We see the familiar cycle of hype, and there’s no use fighting it, but, once heart rates have slowed, the same old question remains: so what? Some of the news, such as a Guardian story that Manafort met three times with Julian Assange, seems to be based on nothing at all. But even the solid news turns out to be generally non-earth-shattering. As the journalist Aaron Maté has been pointing out, we already knew the timeline of Cohen’s Moscow efforts, because BuzzFeed had already detailed them in May, painting a picture of a bumbling duo getting high on their own supply. (As for the latest revelations, did Sater and Cohen really think a president of Russia would move into a free $50 million penthouse provided by a U.S. presidential candidate? You have to wonder if they were hitting each other on the head with bricks.) Those who hope that Mueller reveals a shambolic operation with a lot of rascals engaged in sleazy and embarrassing behavior will be happy with the fruits of his labors. But those who hope for an unveiling of indictments linking Putin and Trump in a grand conspiracy have no more reason to celebrate than they did a week or a month ago.

A newly obtained document shows President Donald Trump signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite his attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming on Sunday the document was never signed.

CNN's Chris Cuomo obtained a copy of the signed letter of intent that set the stage for negotiations for Trump condominiums, a hotel and commercial property in the heart of Moscow. The letter is dated October 28, 2015, and bears the President's signature.

When asked on Sunday about the letter, Giuliani incorrectly told CNN's Dana Bash that it had not been signed.

"It was a real estate project. There was a letter of intent to go forward, but no one signed it," Giuliani told Bash.”

We see the familiar cycle of hype, and there’s no use fighting it, but, once heart rates have slowed, the same old question remains: so what? Some of the news, such as a Guardian story that Manafort met three times with Julian Assange, seems to be based on nothing at all. But even the solid news turns out to be generally non-earth-shattering. As the journalist Aaron Maté has been pointing out, we already knew the timeline of Cohen’s Moscow efforts, because BuzzFeed had already detailed them in May, painting a picture of a bumbling duo getting high on their own supply. (As for the latest revelations, did Sater and Cohen really think a president of Russia would move into a free $50 million penthouse provided by a U.S. presidential candidate? You have to wonder if they were hitting each other on the head with bricks.) Those who hope that Mueller reveals a shambolic operation with a lot of rascals engaged in sleazy and embarrassing behavior will be happy with the fruits of his labors. But those who hope for an unveiling of indictments linking Putin and Trump in a grand conspiracy have no more reason to celebrate than they did a week or a month ago.

A newly obtained document shows President Donald Trump signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite his attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming on Sunday the document was never signed.

CNN's Chris Cuomo obtained a copy of the signed letter of intent that set the stage for negotiations for Trump condominiums, a hotel and commercial property in the heart of Moscow. The letter is dated October 28, 2015, and bears the President's signature.

When asked on Sunday about the letter, Giuliani incorrectly told CNN's Dana Bash that it had not been signed.

"It was a real estate project. There was a letter of intent to go forward, but no one signed it," Giuliani told Bash.”

It's like Giulani and Trump do not understand the concept of video recording.

Quote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer on Wednesday said Trump had signed an October 2015 letter of intent to develop a real estate project in Russia during his presidential campaign, after earlier denying it in a weekend television interview.

Rudy Giuliani had told CNN on Sunday that "no one signed" the letter of intent to go forward with the Moscow project, although he acknowledged talks about the development had extended through November 2016 when Trump won the U.S. presidential election.

Giuliani reversed course in comments to Reuters on Wednesday, however, after CNN reported late on Tuesday that it had obtained a copy of the Oct. 28, 2015 letter signed by Trump, who had announced his White House bid in June that year.

"If I said it, I made a mistake," Giuliani said of his previous denial about Trump having signed the letter.

"There's nothing wrong with his signing it. When he did it, he wasn't president yet."

It's like Giulani and Trump do not understand the concept of video recording.

Quote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer on Wednesday said Trump had signed an October 2015 letter of intent to develop a real estate project in Russia during his presidential campaign, after earlier denying it in a weekend television interview.

Rudy Giuliani had told CNN on Sunday that "no one signed" the letter of intent to go forward with the Moscow project, although he acknowledged talks about the development had extended through November 2016 when Trump won the U.S. presidential election.

Giuliani reversed course in comments to Reuters on Wednesday, however, after CNN reported late on Tuesday that it had obtained a copy of the Oct. 28, 2015 letter signed by Trump, who had announced his White House bid in June that year.

"If I said it, I made a mistake," Giuliani said of his previous denial about Trump having signed the letter.

"There's nothing wrong with his signing it. When he did it, he wasn't president yet."

C’mon, 23 armed to the teethe, flak vest wearing swat officers at 6 in the morning with CNN in tow for one old guy in a silk bath robe to charge him with alleged lies? Give me a break! As I have said, it’s all just a big show.

C’mon, 23 armed to the teethe, flak vest wearing swat officers at 6 in the morning with CNN in tow for one old guy in a silk bath robe to charge him with alleged lies? Give me a break! As I have said, it’s all just a big show.

C’mon, 23 armed to the teethe, flak vest wearing swat officers at 6 in the morning with CNN in tow for one old guy in a silk bath robe to charge him with alleged lies? Give me a break! As I have said, it’s all just a big show.

Reminds me of the time they sent an army of BATF agents with an army of news reporters with armored vehicles and news helicopters to arrest David Koresh at this compound when they could have just picked him up in front of the local Wal Mart where he shops every week. Had the feds just simply arrested Koresh on the street, the compound would not have burned down with all the kids inside. But then, a simple arrest would not have been very theatrical.

C’mon, 23 armed to the teethe, flak vest wearing swat officers at 6 in the morning with CNN in tow for one old guy in a silk bath robe to charge him with alleged lies? Give me a break! As I have said, it’s all just a big show.

Reminds me of the time they sent an army of BATF agents with an army of news reporters with armored vehicles and news helicopters to arrest David Koresh at this compound when they could have just picked him up in front of the local Wal Mart where he shops every week. Had the feds just simply arrested Koresh on the street, the compound would not have burned down with all the kids inside. But then, a simple arrest would not have been very theatrical.

Didn’t your beloved president in July 2017 urge the Long Island police to bang the heads of arrested suspects against car doors ? At least the FBI spared roger stone a head concussion as recommended by Trump .

Can't wait for the Orange man to be in orange jumpsuits! Then it will be a show!

Trump kids should be up next.

Yah Billy Bush we got TrumpYah Stormy Daniels we got TrumpYah Paul Manafort we got TrumpYah George Papadopolous we got TrumpYah Michael Wolf we got TrumpYah Omerosa we got TrumpYah Bob Woodward we got TrumpYah Roger Stone....oh you get the idea...the show goes on and on but look who’s still standing!

Can't wait for the Orange man to be in orange jumpsuits! Then it will be a show!

Trump kids should be up next.

Yah Billy Bush we got TrumpYah Stormy Daniels we got TrumpYah Paul Manafort we got TrumpYah George Papadopolous we got TrumpYah Michael Wolf we got TrumpYah Omerosa we got TrumpYah Bob Woodward we got TrumpYah Roger Stone....oh you get the idea...the show goes on and on but look who’s still standing!

I had posed this question in late October — “what excuses do the MAGA heads have ready after they get Thrashed in the midterms” .

Seeing the responses here to the shutdown debacle and the roger stone arrest , looks like few have learnt any lessons yet at all .

Guiding heuristic should be — “don’t care about what SHOULD happen , but try and guesstimate what WILL happen and plan for that ” . This always works , be it with your $$ , politics or personal lives .... and will give your a lot less heartache down the road .

Can't wait for the Orange man to be in orange jumpsuits! Then it will be a show!

Trump kids should be up next.

Yah Billy Bush we got TrumpYah Stormy Daniels we got TrumpYah Paul Manafort we got TrumpYah George Papadopolous we got TrumpYah Michael Wolf we got TrumpYah Omerosa we got TrumpYah Bob Woodward we got TrumpYah Roger Stone....oh you get the idea...the show goes on and on but look who’s still standing!

On Tuesday's edition of ABC's 'The View', co-host Joy Behar said the Covington Catholic incident at the Lincoln Memorial this weekend occurred because "we're desperate to get Trump out of office."

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, HOST: Many people admitted they made snap judgments before these other facts came in. But is it that we just instantly say that's what it is based on what we see in that moment and then have to walk stuff back when it turns out we're wrong? Why is that? Why do we keep making the same mistake?

JOY BEHAR: Because we're desperate to get Trump out of office. That's why.

ABBY HUNTSMAN: Not everybody though.

GOLDBERG: What does that have to do --

BEHAR: I think that's the reason. I think the press jumps the gun a lot because we just -- we have so much circumstantial evidence against this guy that we basically are hoping that Cohen has the goods and what have you and so it's wishful thinking.

GOLDBERG: Right, but let's talk about the kids in this particular confrontation since that's the question at hand.